When it came time to select a brand-new email platform, I really did not desire “good enough.” I needed something much better– something constructed for growth, smarter monetization, and a smoother experience on the whole. After almost a decade assisting others with email marketing (and 2 years running my very own newsletter), I wasn’t looking for simply a device– I was searching for a proper companion How Does Beehiiv Monetize.
Which’s exactly how Beehiiv entered the picture.
Now, I understand what you’re assuming: “Isn’t Beehiiv just one more Substack option?” I assumed that as well in the beginning. But after 3 months of kicking the tires and diving deep, I’ve obtained a lot to state– both the victories and the odd traits. If you’re attempting to decide whether Beehiiv is the right system for you, work out in. You’re about to obtain the whole story.
Why I Left My Old Email Device Behind
Let’s be straightforward– most email provider (ESPs) are constructed like they’re still stuck in 2013. I required a device that could actually assist expand my list and make some money while I went to it. My old ESP just wasn’t cutting it any longer.
So I started contrasting alternatives. Beehiiv, Substack, Kit … the typical suspects. Each had its rewards, yet I was taking a look at this through the lens of someone who takes email seriously– and who wanted full control over my target market and content.
The Substack Issue: Looks Great Up Until You Look Closer
Substack was my initial quit. It’s brightened. It’s straightforward. And yeah, it’s preferred.
Yet dig a little deeper, and splits start showing. The most significant one? You do not actually own your followers.
That “comply with” switch you see on Substack? It’s mostly smoke and mirrors. Those fans live behind a wall– inside the Substack app or on their site. You can’t email them directly. Can not export them. You’re basically leasing a target market you can never totally get to.
It resembles carrying out on a stage where the lights only turn on if the place makes a decision to let the group see you. Does not feel fantastic.
And then there’s the cash side. Substack takes 10% off your paid subscriptions. Stripe takes one more 3%. That’s 13% of your income– gone. You ‘d assume they were running a bar, not an email system.
So yeah, Substack? A no for me.
Beehiiv Looked Promising, But Was It Too Great to Be True?
So what made Beehiiv stick out?
Initially, it was the pledge of creator-first features– like better monetization, smarter listing development devices, and zero platform costs (aside from the usual Stripe cut). But guarantees are very easy. Implementation? That’s where it gets real.
Still, the evaluations were encouraging. The Reddit strings didn’t sound like bots or brand plants. And the onboarding? Remarkably smooth.
I figured, “Why not?” and took the leap.
Readying Up on Beehiiv
Let me tell you– migrating to a new system usually seems like drawing teeth. Yet Beehiiv? Remarkably painless.
Importing my listing? Smooth. Establishing types? No disasters. Connecting my personalized domain? A couple of small missteps, but nothing that needed swearing at the display.
Something I truly appreciated was the “domain warming” feature. Beehiiv slowly introduces your domain name to inbox service providers, piggybacking off their very own sending domain. Translation? Less spam folder headaches.
Additionally, their support content– videos, aid docs, and walkthroughs– in fact really felt human. Like a person sat down and said, “Let’s not frustrate the heck out of our customers today.” Rejuvenating.
Automation on Beehiiv: How Does Beehiiv Monetize
Now right here’s where points obtained a little … fascinating.
Beehiiv’s automation system is good, but don’t expect it to compete with heavyweight systems like ActiveCampaign or ConvertKit. As an example, each kind can just be connected to a single automation. That makes it difficult to customize welcome sequences based upon just how someone signed up.
I ended up going full investigator setting– dabbling with sectors, using different landing pages, reviewing rare Reddit strings– just to build a few tailored workflows.
Is it practical? Absolutely. Yet if you’re made use of to drag-and-drop flowcharts with conditional logic, this might feel like stepping back a bit.
Email Builder: Mostly Excellent, However Not Perfect
I have actually obtained a little bit of a love-hate connection with Beehiiv’s e-mail builder.
Visually? It’s glossy. Drag, drop, style, preview– it seems like it was created by a person who’s in fact written an e-newsletter or 2.
However default templates took a few tweaks to get right. And here’s a curveball: Beehiiv e-mails can get big. Like, Gmail-clipping-at-102kb big.
That implies your beautifully crafted message could obtain cut in half if you’re not cautious. I learned this by hand– after that went down a rabbit opening of screening devices to enhance HTML dimension and prevent that dreaded clipping.
My go-to approach?
- Downloading examination e-mails from Gmail and examining size
- Running the HTML via Parcel.io’s e-mail audience
- Confirming with Aboutmy.email for deliverability and framework
Little bit of a hands-on process, yet it works. I even connected to Beehiiv about adding better size cautions. Fingers went across.
Right Stuff That In Fact Actions the Needle
Alright, let’s get involved in the meat of it– what’s made a tangible distinction because switching to Beehiiv?
Target market Growth
In just 3 months, I included over 160 brand-new clients to a rather particular niche e-newsletter. That has to do with 60% greater than what I was seeing previously– and I had not been even running paid ads.
The majority of that growth originated from Beehiiv’s built-in devices: the referral program, Boosts (believe newsletter cross-promotions), and organic reach. You can in fact track what’s working and where clients are originating from. Makes tweaking your approach a whole lot much easier.
Monetization That Doesn’t Nickel-and-Dime You
Let’s talk money due to the fact that for the majority of creators, it matters.
Beehiiv doesn’t take a cut from your paid registrations. Just Stripe’s charge. That’s it. That alone makes it 10% better than Substack (actually).
Yet there’s even more: their ad network is user-friendly and passive. Within three months, I was currently fielding rate of interest from marketers. Beehiiv’s partner network attaches developers with brand names in a manner that doesn’t feel nasty or compelled. It’s built-in revenue capacity, plain and straightforward How Does Beehiiv Monetize.
And when I’m ready to introduce a costs membership? I understand specifically what reduced I’ll obtain: all of it (minus Stripe).
Built-in Development Devices
What truly establishes Beehiiv apart is that development isn’t an afterthought– it’s baked in.
You have actually obtained adjustable referral programs. Boosts for e-newsletter cross-promotion. Numerous landing pages for tracking lead sources. You can transform your visitors into advocates without hanging uncomfortable boodle or single gimmicks.
I’ll claim this: Beehiiv feels like a system that wants you to succeed. Not one that just wants an item of your pie.
Points I ‘d Still Like to See Improve
No system is ideal, and Beehiiv’s got its quirks.
Support can be slow when you struck an unusual pest or need deep assistance.
Some automations still feel too standard.
Email dimension monitoring requires better in-app informs (please and thank you).
No built-in countdown timers (sad face if you enjoy FOMO emails).
Ecommerce integrations? Primarily missing.
So if you’re marketing physical items or want abandoned cart flows, Beehiiv probably isn’t your best choice.
Final Thought
If you’re a creator who’s serious about e-newsletters– whether you’re generating income from, expanding a checklist, or simply tired of out-of-date platforms– Beehiiv’s a solid selection.
You’ll like it if:
You desire full ownership of your audience
You’re wanting to expand quick without paying system tax
You want something that really feels constructed by creators, for makers
Will it resolve every issue? No. However in 3 months, it’s helped me expand quicker, make extra, and anxiety less regarding the little things.
So, should you attempt Beehiiv?
If you prepare to quit clearing up and really scale your newsletter with actual devices that value your work and audience– yeah, I believe it’s time.
Go on. Offer it a spin. You just may fall in love like I did.